Unexpected
by CometheDawn
Summary: She had no idea who he was or what he looked like but he had saved her and for that she was grateful.


_**They Meet**_

Darkness blanketed the village of Konoha on cold winter night. Not a ray of moonlight shone in the sky nor could the twinkle of the stars be seen. Still, it was beautiful outside, Sakura thought as she shivered slightly from the breeze that made it so much colder. She didn't mind the bite of the wind, though because it would serve to keep her awake on the long walk home.

The sound of her footsteps was the only sound that she could hear and for some reason that single solitary sound comforted her. She often took this time of night to silently think of her teammates and wish for their safe return. Naruto had finally gone after Sasuke in a final attempt to either bring him home…or kill them both. Kakashi had gone with him, but Sakura knew that Naruto would never allow him to enter their battle. Sakura had opted to stay. She did not want to witness their deaths—if it came to that. Besides, there wasn't much she could do anyway except for get in the way and honestly she was sick of feeling useless.

It was this night that while she obsessed over said uselessness that she noticed that she wasn't alone. Sakura glanced around herself trying to pinpoint the location of the person that was watching her but was unable to. Her hand drifted closer to her weapon's pouch in preparation for attack—but it never came and that made her all the more uneasy. She didn't like the thought that if she kept going she could be potentially leading someone to where she lived. She could go back to the hospital, but that in essence would lead to her hiding and she could put countless innocent people in danger—and she would not do that. So she was left with one option.

"Who's there?"

**I**

Byakuya raised a brow surprised that the young girl sensed him nearby, but he immediately dismissed her and continued on his search for the hollows in the area. He had sent Renji to the north end of the village while he searched the south. Kenpachi, Ikkaku and others of the twelfth division had taken the east and west sides saving the center for whoever finished patrolling their area first.

Konoha had not been on the radar of Soul Society for very long. Four years ago, in an area he had learned that the people called The Valley of the End; two enormous powers clashed and created a dimensional tear allowing entrance to hollows. It hadn't been overly large but as time wore on more and more hollow escaped into this village looking for souls to feed upon.

Hence, Soul Society representatives were sent here to eliminate the threat of the hollow and scout the area. They had not expected the locals to sense their presence.

**I**

Sakura frowned when she received no response. In fact, the presence disappeared completely. Although, Sakura did wonder if that was truly the case or whether or not the person had chosen to hide from her further. Suddenly, the cold winter night did nothing to comfort her like it usually did. On the other hand it began to remind her of death and destruction. Sakura took a determined step towards home. At least if someone was out to get her they'd get her and no one else. It was the only thought she could take comfort in.

She made it home before she knew it although the trip seemed to drag on in her mind. She could have run and reached home quickly, but she was hoping for some sort of attack in order to throw the dread off her—to no avail. Sakura tried to convince herself that paranoia was running rampant through her veins as she pulled out her key to unlock her door, but was soon proven wrong when some unseen force knocked her away from her door.

The kunoichi hit the ground hard but was quickly on her feet with a kunai in hand looking for the threat, but finding none. Sakura grit her teeth certain that someone was playing games with her and she didn't appreciate it.

"Come out now!" She demanded.

She felt rather than saw the blow coming her way and jumped out the way. It was then that she heard a wail that clenched at her heart and set fear free in it. No human could make that sound. She was certain of it. So did that mean she was dealing with some creature that was not of this world?

No, that didn't make any sense. She was taking the whole fear thing a step too far and yet as Sakura dodged another blow that she could sense but not see she wasn't so sure.

Suddenly, she sensed the presence from earlier and Sakura face flattened into a grim line and she realized that it was about to be two on one.

She had never been happier to be wrong. Before she could blink the presence that had been attacking her disappeared leaving her with the one that she now assumed to be benevolent.

"I don't know who you are, or where you're from, but I thank you." Sakura said. She waited a moment or two to see if she'd get any sort of reply and when she didn't she moved towards her apartment once more wondering if it had all been some sort of dream.

**I**

Byakuya watched as the woman's whose hair looked horrifically like Yachiru's walked away from him. He had been slightly surprised to see her agilely dodge every attack that the hollow sent her way. He had expected her to be dead by the time he sensed the hollow in this direction, but he had been wrong—a rare occurrence for him.

He wondered briefly about the people in this place called Konoha. They were not what he had expected. He did not like being taken off guard.


End file.
